I am Kera, a Saiyan Warrior Princess

Chapter 29

He felt Kera's energy approaching. Instinctively, Piccolo went to the small hill by the river where they had spent many evenings. A few minutes later she landed in front of him and bowed her head. "I'm sorry."

"For what exactly?"

"I overreacted when you suggested the second bond. And you were right in your guess. Vegeta can transform now. Bulma is carrying his child." They both fell silent. Piccolo knew they were on thin ice. One wrong step and Kera might fly away again.

Piccolo ventured forward first. By placing himself directly in front of her, he shortened the distance between them. Kera raised her head and dared a brief smile. She now sat down with her legs crossed as well. Her knees touched his lower legs.

"So, how does this bond work now?"

"You want to make the bond of friendship?" She nodded. He considered. Was it really the right way? "This time we share other memories. All the memories that are linked to positive feelings. Friendship, love, happiness, joy."

"And what are the disadvantages?"

"We become very attached to each other. We don't just share memories we've already experienced. Everything we experience, we will share. Since we have already entered into the warrior bond, we can hardly hide anything from each other."

Kera took a deep breath and let the air escape slowly. Then she looked Piccolo straight in the eye.

"Remember? Everywhere with you, nowhere without you."

"We had no choice then," Piccolo replied.

"Maybe we didn't. But what if we had no choice because it would have happened anyway? We're sitting at that point again now." She took his right hand, which he had placed on his knee. "You saved my life. I trust you."

Piccolo looked at her hands clasping his for a moment. Even though she was such a big warrior, her hands felt soft and delicate. They seemed almost fragile next to his hand, but he knew that impression was deceiving.

"Good," he said then with a nod, interlacing the fingers of his right hand with the fingers of her left. He did likewise with his other hand. "Close your eyes and think back to your first positive memory."

Kera did so and lowered her head. The world around them went silent. Piccolo could only feel her hands and the touch of her legs. He concentrated on the first conscious positive memory.

- - - - - -

A soft, warm hand tenderly stroking her cheek. A smile on her mother's face. A little blurred, as the memory was so long ago. A bright laugh, like music to her ears. The next memory: another woman smiling encouragement at her and touching her shoulders. This woman's features were more sharply defined than those of the first woman, as if the memory were more present. This woman wore a narrow silver ring on her forehead. Next to her stood a small boy with black hair sticking up, who held out his hands invitingly to Kera.

The following memories had the woman and the boy in focus. Once they saw a man with a beard and the same hairstyle as the boy praising Kera. The memories then jumped. Only the boy still mattered. As it seemed, years passed. Then Piccolo appeared in Kera's memories. Over and over again.

They were similar images she had already seen at the warrior's bond, but the focus was elsewhere. While at the warrior covenant it was the training with Piccolo that she had seen, now she saw him smiling at her, drinking water by the river or wiping the sweat from his forehead. She saw herself smiling at Piccolo and sitting by the fire looking at the stars.

Images upon images played. Slowly, so that they could both look at them in peace. She was even aware of the sounds and smells associated with the images.